Flair for Trouble
by roundabout wickedness
Summary: Hermione faints in the Entrance Hall at the beginning of her seventh year, and Dumbledore sends her to Snape's rooms to recover, and she plays a dastardly prank on him...and gets caught. What's going to happen afterwards? HGSS. non HBPcompliant.
1. A Foul Moon

**A/N **Ok. This is my first fic, so be nice, please. But being nice does not mean I'm open to critique. I just don't want any "I hate your story" kind of stuff. And I _have _read HBP, but I like Snape, so I discarded it and he still teaches, and Dumbledore is still thankfully alive.

**Disclaimer **Unfortunately, I don't own anybody –dies-. They're J.K. Rowling's. –sighs-

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When Severus Snape didn't show up at the Staff Table at the start of term feast, nobody noticed. In fact, not even the teachers seemed to notice. It was sad, really, that his presence wasn't missed. If somebody had noticed, they had most likely not cared. Chatter seemed to go on for hours after the Sorting and Dumbledore's few first words, telling the students a few rules and reminding them that the Forbidden Forest was off limits.

Hermione knew the reason behind Remus Lupin's absence from what she considered the high table. It was her seventh year, and she had known him long enough to know a few things about him that Harry and Ron overlooked. Moreover, she was more observant to pay attention to the state of the moon, which appeared quite full on the enchanted ceiling.

She was musing over her luck at becoming Head Girl when she overheard snatches of conversation from the direction of Ron. "Where do you reckon Lupin is?" he was asking Harry, who just shrugged.

Scowling, she pointed her finger up at the moon and scorned them, "Honestly, you two have the brains of a peach." Shaking her head as a look of apprehension dawned on the two boys faces; she sent another glance up at the staff table. "Wonder where Snape is," she commented off-hand. It wasn't like him to skip the first dinner; she knew from experience that he enjoyed glaring at the first years and scaring them out of their skins. "He's usually shown his face by now."

This comment was rather blatantly ignored by Ron and Harry, who seemed to have commenced into some sort of a fight: they were shoveling food into their mouths faster than the intelligent witch would have though possible. Gross, she thought to herself before contemplating the NEWTs that they would have to take at the end of the year; thankfully for her friends, she had actually dropped History of Magic and Muggle Studies after her OWLs, giving her two free blocks in which she could draw up study schedules.

Apparently, she must have had quite a look on her face because Harry and Ron were looking at her with a sense of dread etched into their features. "Hermione, tell me you're not already fretting over NEWTs," Harry stated rather bluntly, knowing that she would nod her head with impeccable timing, get up, and leave the Great Hall with an air of importance.

"Please…please say you're not going to force us to study with you," Ron continued with his concern for his mental well-being plainly evident in the tone of his voice. Studying did not mix with him, at least until there was an actual importance for it.

"I can't tell you either of those," she said briefly, before getting up to go find her quarters, "You know where I'm off too. I'll give you the password later, boys."

As she walked out of the Hall, they looked at her plate with disbelief. Somehow, she had managed to clear hers before they had even started on their second serving.

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Hermione Granger was far from being prepared with the sight she was about to see, for as soon as she walked out of the doors, Lupin's eyes met hers. Silently cursing herself for her sudden and rigid fear at being gazed down by a dangerous werewolf, her breath caught. Nothing could save her now, nothing. The look in the monster's feral eyes told her enough. Those green eyes were hungry, and powerful. Before he came towards her, she had a brief amount of time to wonder how he got in here. Slowly, her eyes moved around the Entrance Hall, and saw none other than Snape, standing at the top of the stairs that led to the dungeon. With no extra surprise, she noted that he was in much the same condition as she, but far more disheveled.

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The pair of humans stood still as stone, both fixated upon the wolf in the center of the hall.

A snarl from the creature brought him into focus, however, and as Lupin leaped for Hermione, he leaped for her as well, wand out. "LEVICORPUS!" he bellowed, with enough strength to force Lupin into the air, dangled by one ankle. The wolf was snarling and throwing a near tantrum, while Hermione had slowly slid to the floor in a dead faint. Snape couldn't blame her. After all, she was seventeen, and hadn't faced Lupin in close quarters for some time, if he was right about that night four years ago.

Before he could do anything more, the Great Hall doors burst open and out flooded Dumbledore, followed closely by the rest of the teachers and a few curious students (namely Ron, Harry, and Ginny). Dumbledore promptly lifted Hermione onto a magical stretcher using, what else, but more magic. Several of the teachers were stricken at Snape's rather bloody robes and haphazard hair, but most of them gawked unnaturally at the hanging form of Lupin.

Dumbledore would know what to do, but first, he told Snape quite clearly, "Take Miss Granger to your quarters, then see yourself to the Hospital Wing."

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I know, I know, it prolly sucks completely

Review please! I can't tell you guys how much I would love for you to review!


	2. Typical

**A/N**: Hello again…I spent my post SOL time planning Chapters 2 through, like 4, so I know what I want to happen in those chapters. Heh. I'm happy I got reviews! Words can't describe how happy I was to come home to reviews! Moreover, don't worry; I'll explain most of it in this chapter. Most of it. ;D

**Disclaimer: **I seriously don't own any of the characters…they're all JK's. However, the plot, however, is mine. 

**So Far: **Hermione comes out of the Great Hall, and is faced by a werewolf Lupin. Snape levitates the werewolf, in bloody robes. Dumbledore and followers burst out of the Great Hall, and the Headmaster sends Hermione to Snape's quarters to recover from shock (she fainted), and sends Snape to the Hospital Wing so Poppy can tend to his wounds.

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After Snape floated Hermione's limp form to _his_ quarters, he wondered as to Dumbledore's reasoning. Why would the elderly wizard send her there, of all places? Why not the Hospital Wing along with himself? It didn't make sense, but he expected the Headmaster to explain soon. As he ascended into the Entrance Hall, and saw that they had already disposed of Lupin, for he was no longer visible dangling from the air. Potter and Weasley shot him death glares as he continued on his way to see the medi-witch. The only marks on him were from the wolf's claws, there was not a bite on him.

Cursing himself for endangering the students, he continued on his way. If he hadn't been trying to get the blood of a werewolf for a potion, this wouldn't have happened. That, that, _girl_ wouldn't be in his rooms. Lupin had agreed previously that when the full moon came, he would sit in the cage under the Wolfsbane potion. Neither of them had thought about Peeves being dangerously close to the Potion just before it was served to Snape's colleague. He expected that bloody poltergeist to have put sugar in it; it wouldn't have been under the filthy ghost. Throwing that aside, the cage wasn't strong enough to hold a snarling werewolf. Lupin snapped the thin metal bars in a millisecond and rushed out the open door before Snape was aware of what had happened.

When Lupin had started transforming, Snape was ready with the syringe. Then he had realized something was very wrong, the wolf wasn't acting right. Still, he needed the blood for the precious potion, one that, in theory, improved the Wolfsbane potion. So he tried, and got scratched. That was all, the wolf's muzzle wasn't big enough for him to get bitten, though there was always the possibility. However, as soon as he had turned his back to go close the door, the wolf brushed past him, intent on some other prey. Suspecting something, Snape sprinted after the creature. There, in the Hall, stood Hermione Granger, too petrified to move.

In essence, it was his entire fault and Dumbledore was sure to interrogate him on the happenings. For now, he was on orders to get himself to the Hospital Wing to get his wounds treated. Mercifully, he was almost there, and he would only have to deal with Poppy. Speaking of Poppy Pomfrey, who else would come bustling out of the wood doors to his right but her? Heaving a sigh, he gave in and let her tend to him.

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Meanwhile, Hermione was stirring on the couch where Snape left her. Squinting at the less-than-adequate light, she managed to make out the forms of Dumbledore and McGonagall. Soon, trepidation hit her when she surveyed the rest of the room, finally realizing that the lighting was fine, but her vision was blurry. Where was she? This room was completely new to her. The carpeting was black, and the stone walls were painted a light green. 'Her' couch was dark silver with black lining. Very Slytherin, very Slytherin indeed. "Professor? Where…?" she asked quietly.

Dumbledore looked down at her, blue eyes twinkling. McGonagall, however, shook her head disapprovingly at whatever the Headmaster was planning. At that moment, a very angry looking Severus Snape burst in. "I will _NOT_ have parties being conducted in my chambers! Now, if you please, the insufferable know-it-all is awake, so send her to her own chambers!" Hermione fainted again, and McGonagall glared daggers at the intruding professor.

"Severus Snape. She will stay here until everything is explained to her about the events of the evening. I think you owe her an apology for not watching Lupin," the head of Gryffindor said firmly, and Snape blanched. The blood drained out of his face, and if possible, he looked even more outraged than before. Apologizing to students, let alone Gryffindors, wasn't a strong point of his, and he didn't want to start practicing now.

"But…" he started to retort, yet Dumbledore cut him off.

"I think Minerva has a very good point there, seeing as you almost scared the life out of her," he was saying, and Hermione was, yet again, slowly coming to consciousness. The look on her face when she saw the potions master was enough to make him scream, but he didn't. At least, he would have under different circumstances. The wench was defiant of him.

"Miss Granger…I'm sorry…for putting you…through that. It's entirely my fault," he said, struggling over the words and forcing his voice to stay emotionless as he simply stared at her, his mouth drawn in a straight line.

"Forgiven. What exactly happened, may I ask?" she whispered, her voice icy as she met his stare ferociously with one of her own, and McGonagall motioned her over to the fire. Carefully extracting herself from the soft, leather couch, she pinched some of the powder out of a mini-cauldron. How typical of the potions master to use that particular device.

"Potter and Weasley will explain that to you. I think they might be waiting outside of your quarters," McGonagall said as Hermione stepped into the fire and Flooed herself to the Head Girl's chambers. Once there, the bushy haired witch opened the picture frame and almost smacked Ron with it. She did, however, smack Harry in the back of the head.

Ushering them in to sit on the couch, she whispered "Sorry" to Harry before sitting down herself. "What happened out there?" she said at the same time they said "What are the git's chambers like?"

This was going to be a long night.

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**A/N**: It's short, I know. Sorry! Don't kill me! But, hey, I updated. Aren't you proud of me? Heh. I'm much more confident of my writing abilities now that I aced an essay that everyone else flunked. Go me! Well, the next chapter should be up tomorrow or Thursday. Today's my brother's birthday, woot! He turned thirteen, so I gave him 13 cents. Aren't I such a good sister?

So, next chapter there won't be too much of Severus, and Hermione hates him right now, if you couldn't tell. This should have cleared up the issue of what happened to Snape and why Lupin was in the Entrance Hall. I'll touch on Dumbledore's reasoning next chapter, promise. Happy reviewing!


	3. Hallucinations

**A/N:** Hey! Woot! I updated again! Go me, aren't you proud? I don't know if I'll be able to update tomorrow or not, so don't hold your breath. My insane English teacher assigned us a skit. The rough draft is due Friday. We have to do it tomorrow afternoon. –sigh-

**Disclaimer:** -cries- J.K. Rowling just informed me that she owns Harry Potter and all affiliated characters. Oh well. I can still dream.

**So Far: **Hermione comes out of the Great Hall, and is faced by a werewolf Lupin. Snape levitates the werewolf, in bloody robes. Dumbledore and followers burst out of the Great Hall, and the Headmaster sends Hermione to Snape's quarters to recover from shock (she fainted), and sends Snape to the Hospital Wing so Poppy can tend to his wounds. When he gets back to his quarters, he finds McGonagall and Dumbledore there as well. They _force_ him to apologize to Hermione, who then returns to her quarters via Floo. She is assailed by Harry and Ron as soon as she opens the portrait hole.

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Hermione raised an eyebrow at Harry, and said, "I think I would like to know why Lupin wasn't secured, which was the reason I was in the git's chambers. Now talk." Ron and Harry exchanged looks, wondering what they should say. To her, it looked like they were holding a silent argument over who should explain. After all, the two of them didn't want her to blow up on them. It was Snape's fault in their minds.

"Well…Snape and Lupin have been working on a new and improved Wolfsbane potion, but for that they needed a werewolf's blood, a transformed werewolf's blood. Dumbledore suspects that Peeves had something to do with putting sugar in the original potion. Snape didn't realize and turned away just before Lupin demolished the cage. We don't know why Dumbledore sent you to Snape's chambers, though. Sorry," Harry finally said, showing how brave he really was. The farther along he got, the more hard Hermione's warm brown eyes became.

"Now spill," one of the two said.

"They're…very Slytherin. The walls are green, the floor is black, and the furniture is silver and black. There's not much more I can say, other than the atmosphere is actually quite different from what you would expect from Snape. He apologized…for the Lupin thing, but I had no clue what he was talking about," she admitted, before breaking into a grin. "'_Miss Granger…I'm sorry…for putting you…through that. It was entirely my fault,' _he said. Can you imagine? He was fighting to keep his composure!" As she quoted her Potions professor, she did a very good imitation of what Snape's voice had sounded like, and her friends immediately burst into gut-wrenching laughter.

"G-good one, 'Mione"

"Most definitely."

At this point, she was laughing hysterically as well, so she couldn't tell who said what. "But I still hate him. I'm not going to go soft just because Snape _apologized_. You do know that we should never let him live that one down, right?" she said, while her laughter was gradually replaced by an evil grin. "And I've the perfect idea, so leave!"

"Wait! We want to hear about this one!" the two exclaimed in chorus, and Hermione gestured them closer, and explained her plans before sending them off to bed with a couple matronly snaps and a few well placed hexes.

She was sure that Snape would know who did it, but he wouldn't have any proof. The Weasley twins had sent a prank her for her birthday, for God knows what reason, but she was going to employ it. Guessing that they had bet over whether or not she was going to use it, she smirked to herself as she dug it out of the bottom of her trunk. It was a hallucinations kit, so that the targeted person would see a selected image. Whispered prayers fell from her lips as she opened the instructions manual. Perfect, the hallucination she wanted was there. Severus Snape was going to see werewolves all day long, and with a few added effects, here them. He was going to have a cow.

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When Snape woke up the next morning, he was in a particularly foul mood, and he knew why. As he dressed in his black robes, he looked in the mirror and saw his black eyes staring back at him. If he hadn't seen the sight before, he would have flinched. Today, looks might kill. And when he left the dungeons, he ran right into the girl who he was furious with. Furious with for inadvertently invaded his personal space and seen something no other student has before: his rooms. In addition, she was carrying something that looked vaguely like pumpkin juice and smelled like pumpkin juice, so he assumed that's what it was when she spilled it all over him. When she rushed off in the direction of the library with a quiet "eep", he quickly cleaned up the mess and turned towards the Great Hall.

He was late, and all the teachers were already emptying, and Dumbledore strode over to him. "Severus, do you mind joining me in my office?" the wizened wizard said. Though phrased as a question, Snape knew it was not and nodded. He would have to anyway.

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Hermione joined Ron, Harry and Ginny in the Library just about the time Snape and Dumbledore would be sitting down in the Headmaster's Office. Snickering, she sank into a seat and opened one of the books the other three had sitting on the table. After burying her nose into it, she commented, "He thinks it was just pumpkin juice. His hallucinations should be starting quite soon. Oh, and he's been called to Dumbledore's office." The way she said it was nonchalant, as if this was an everyday occurrence. Reactions from her three best friends, however, proved otherwise as they clutched their stomachs with laughter, trying to keep quiet. "He has to hear the word werewolf first, though. But I'm sure Dumbledore will help us out with that one," she continued, hardly able to contain the smirk that was spreading across her face.

"Can you imagine? He will be positively fuming!" exclaimed Ginny, for Ron and Harry filled her in as soon as they returned to the Gryffindor common room the previous night. "I wouldn't have expected that from you, 'Mione."

"Umm…'Mione, you forgot one little thing," whispered Ron as he examined his schedule for the first time, his face losing all the amusement. When Hermione raised an eyebrow appraisingly, he stated, "We've got double potions with the bloody Slytherins in half an hour."

Hermione and Harry exchanged horrified looks, while Ginny blanched with more laughter. "This isn't good…he's bound to know it was you, Hermione! Especially with the extras…" Harry shuddered, and Hermione brightened considerably, reminding herself of the reasoning she had last night.

"But he won't be able to prove it. You've got to have proof first," she said, grabbing Ginny's hand as she got up. "C'mon, we've time before class starts. Want to see Zambini's and my quarters?"

At the mention of the name 'Zambini', Ginny nodded her head vigorously and practically pulled Hermione out of the Library, waving her hand over her shoulder as they went. "See you later, boys." The other witch simply rolled her eyes. Whatever Ginny liked about Blaise, Hermione could not see it as well.

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Snape looked calm and collected as he sat across from Dumbledore, who was currently enjoying a Cockroach Cluster. The twinkle in the headmaster's bright blue eyes gave Snape a tingle of anxiety in the back of his mind. Thinking of the possible punishments was horrible, and he knew that Dumbledore was angry with him for endangering the well-being of some of the students. However, everyone perceived it as an accident, thankfully. In addition, not many students knew that Lupin was a werewolf, at least the students fourth year and under.

So it was this terrible anxiety that spurred the dark man to speak, "This is about last night, isn't it, Albus?"

The Headmaster lifted his eyes from the Profit and appraised Snape. "Yes, this is about last night. You have to take extra precautions whenever dealing with an unpredictable werewolf. Next full moon, use the Shrieking Shack just in case. I expect you have set wards around your lab to keep Peeves from entering there, am I correct?"

Snape nodded his head, for he was seeing a very peculiar sight. It appeared as though there was a filmy, translucent werewolf tap dancing behind Albus' chair while saying, "_Apologiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiize" _The creature lengthened the end of the word into an unearthly, though barely audible, howl. "Y-yes, none of the ghosts can access my chambers."

"Good. See to it that Miss Granger helps you with your Potions, if she consents. You owe her more than just an apology," Albus clarified, as the werewolf disappeared without so much of a trace.

"Fine. Okay. But why did you send her to my chambers?"

"First, because it was easier for you to apologize, was it not? Second, who would want over stressing friends hovering over your cot after being almost attacked by a werewolf? You may go."

Now, the sight was even worse. Two of the unnatural monsters danced the Irish jig while singing:

"_We'll drink a drink a drink_

_To Lily the Pink the Pink the Pink_

_Who saved us all_

_The human ra-hay-ace_

_She invented medicinal compounds…"_

And believe me, werewolves had no singing ability. This was Granger's doing, the professor reasoned. Unfortunately, he had no proof, unless one of the werewolves ended up with bushy hair. Besides, who would believe that he was seeing Irish jigging werewolves that were singing quite off tune? Sighing inwardly, he stood up and exited the room to head to his classroom.

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**A/N** Hey! It's longer than last one! Woot! I'm proud of myself! And I also fulfilled my promise of explaining Dumbledore, go me! It has a bit more Severus than I expected, but that was thanks to my AP exam. I started this one last night and finished it this afternoon, after I got reviews. So my plot changed.

**To my Reviewers:** Thank you so much for taking the time to review! Feel free to ask questions about things you don't understand, suggest ideas, etc. At this point, even detailed criticism on parts of the story that aren't clear will be welcome.


	4. Fumblings of a Finnegan

**A/N: **Woot! Go me! I updated, even though I didn't expect to be able to! Aren't you guys proud? I wrote my skit with my two friends, and since the guy couldn't come, we've cast him as a female, solid-waste-obsessed teacher. He's going to hate me! So, read and review! Oh…I just realized: Roundabout Wickedness RW. –sigh- oh well

**Disclaimer: **

Severus: _I flaming own myself._

Roundabout: _Holy mother of Mary…not this again. Sev, sweet, we've had this argument before. J.K. Rowling owns you._

J.K. Rowling: _Correct, Roundabout. I own the entire world of Hogwarts! And _you _can't have any of it!_ –points at and taunts Sev and Roundabout-

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When Snape stormed into his dungeon classroom looking dazed, Hermione expected the worst from him. He shot his usual glares at the students, but his face remained strained as he explained that day's potion work, It was, to Hermione's great pleasure, a simple one that she had researched over the summer, and she set out working at once. However, halfway through the class, her potion was at simmering point and she had nothing else to do. While it simmered, the bushy-haired witch watched Snape out of the corner of her eyes. He had seemingly relaxed, and she grinned. This particular professor was in for a rude awakening sometime around lunch.

Without realizing that she had zoned out to the world, and was absently staring into space, she vaguely heard a stern, slightly disgusted voice behind her saying, "Miss Granger…while your potion is in no need of attention, I need to talk to you." Hermione quickly twisted in her chair to see Severus Snape looming over her, and she gawked when he sat down in the empty chair next to her. "The Headmaster insists," he continued, with lack of any emotion in his voice. His nonchalant gaze, though, was slightly unnerving to her. Those obsidian eyes were piercingly indifferent to the world. _Well, now, _she thought, inwardly chuckling at her prank.

"About the werewolf incident, sir?" she asked, struggling to keep her voice innocent. Barely suppressing the smirk that threatened to appear when her professor flinched, staring with wide eyes at something in his peripheral vision, she looked over her shoulder, knowing that she would see nothing. However, it was best to seem to him as if she had no clue what was going on. Before he opened his mouth to reply, she shot him a quizzical look.

"Rather. The Headmaster is requesting that I offer you a position as my Potion's Assistant," he said dryly, scowling at her. "Something I hardly desire, but I am obliged to offer."

In order to miff him, she smiled her best smile and nodded. Clarifying, she said, "I would love to. Professor, my potion is complete. Now if you would excuse me…" Getting up abruptly, she walked over to her potion and put the fire under it out with a silent spell. As she filled up her vial, she noticed Snape slink back over to his desk and take up the menacing position he usually was in. _Why am I paying attention to him?_ That comment was made by the voice in the back of her head, and she quickly pushed it aside as she muttered "Evanesco" and the remaining contents of her cauldron disappeared.

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Finally, he had figured it out. The word 'werewolf' triggered the hallucinations. Each vision became progressively worse, and god knows how many times he had heard _that_ word, that despicable word with the fiasco the night before. It was the topic of gossip for all of the witches, and even a few of the wizards. This particular hallucination had been horrific…Fenrir Greyback had attacked the insufferable know-it-all and eaten her…alive. Disgusting, it was, how she was able to feign ignorance even though he was _sure _that she _knew_ and _planned_ each one of the visions. After all, she was the smartest witch ever to go through Hogwarts, even if he refused to admit it to anyone but himself. She was quite smart.

Disturbed from his thoughts by someone setting a potions vial on his desk, he looked up and scowled at the bushy-haired witch in front of him.

Class was over, finally. And she was the only one who had finished. Silently congratulating her, he scoffed as Neville made a face at his black, tarry mess and cleared it. At last, the class was filing out and he would be able to spook some of the first years. Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws…though he knew not why that particular couple attended classes together. Both were an odd lot: Ravenclaws quiet and studious, and Hufflepuffs enigmatic and lazy.

Smirking to himself as his next class filed in, he noticed that even though there were whisperings of the night before, his hallucination were gradually descending in horror, until it was back to the pair singing "Lily the Pink." Where the Granger girl had gotten that, he knew not. The lyrics in whole were:

_Here's a story, a little bit gory,  
A little bit happy, a little bit sad,  
Of Lily the Pink and her medicinal compound,  
And how it slowly drove her to the bad. _

_Meet Ebenezer, thought he was Julius Caesar.  
So they put him in a home.  
And then they gave him medicinal compound,  
And now he's Emperor of Rome. _

_We'll drink a drink a drink  
To Lily the pink the pink the pink  
The savior of the savior of the human race.  
She invented medicinal compound.  
Most efficacious in every case. _

_Meet Johnny Hammer had a t-t-terrible s-s-stammer.  
He could b-barely say a word.  
So they gave him medicinal compound,  
And now he's seen, but never heard. _

_And Freddie Clinger, the opera singer,  
Who could break glasses with his voice they said.  
So on his tonsils he rubbed medicinal compound,  
And now they break glasses over his head. _

_And Mr. Frears, who had sticky out ears.  
And it made him awful shy.  
So they gave him medicinal compound,  
And now he's learning how to fly. _

_And Uncle Paul, he was very small. He  
Was the shortest man in town.   
So on his body he rubbed medicinal compound,  
And now he's six foot, but it's underground. _

_Lily died and went up to heaven.  
Oh, the church bells they did ring.   
She took with her medicinal compound.   
Hark the herald angels sing. _

To his sheer amazement, the two werewolves were arm in arm and swinging pints of beer. _This was getting ridiculous_, he mused as a smile formed over his face. He might be able to enjoy the aftereffects of this little prank. It was becoming amusing, though quite stupid.

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It was lunch hour, and Snape was quite happy, though a bit upset now that he was humming the tune to the song that the two werewolves, which were now following him to his great dismay. There was nothing that would have prepared him for what he was about to see. The Great Hall was, in his eyes, brimming with drunken werewolves singing about someone named Yoda. He stalked over to the Gryffindor table, and caught a snatch of the conversation.

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"If he finds out, he'll kill you," Ginny giggled helplessly at the added detail Hermione had just shared. "This is perfect payback."

Behind the two of them, a silky voice said, "Payback for what?" The pair of witches jumped and looked around, blanching as they noticed who was standing behind her.

Seamus Finnegan, who hadn't realized who it was, said calmly, "Something about Snape and werewolves." Hermione was about ready to kill him, before comprehension of the consequences dawned on her.

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"GRANGER!" was the only word that exited his vocal chords, and the power of it was enough to make everyone in the Hall jump at least a couple inches. The glare Weaselette was shooting Finnegan a glare that would even give his a run for the money, but Granger was looking quite frightened indeed. It was a rare occurrence that she was caught performing such acts of pure insolence, and he was reveling in it. A smirk to top all other smirks appeared on his face, and he almost chuckled. That isn't to say he wasn't laughing inside. Beckoning to her with a finger, he strode dominantly out of the mess hall.

She followed meekly, blushing from all the attention she was receiving. Not one student knew what was going on, except for the select few who had been informed of her plan earlier, or that day, just now. The ones who had no idea were all whispering amongst themselves at what kind of trouble the Head Girl was in, because whatever it was, it had to be bad. Nobody had heard Snape bellow like that in years.

As he stormed down the stairs leading to his dungeons, he heard the door to the Great Hall slam shut behind them. On top of that, he heard quiet sobs. The wretched girl was in tears, but it wasn't as if he cared. Instead, he entered his office, the door that opened on the first landing. "In," he fumed, and when she stepped in, he commanded her to "Sit."

"P-p-professor," she stammered, fear showing in her waterlogged, brown eyes. It registered in the back of his mind that she may have not meant it to go this far. He quickly pushed that thought away, and turned to matters at hand.

Wringing his hands, he squatted in front of her so there eyes met. "This is not acceptable behavior from the _Head Girl_, Miss Granger. I wouldn't have expected it from you. Explain," he spat in annoyance. What her explanation was, and whether it would be good enough to convince him to keep her on as his apprentice, was up to her.

"Sir…You see, for my nineteenth birthday, Fred and George sent me a bunch of pranks. Last night, I was so bloody angry at you that I though I might as well try some of them out. It never occurred to me that it would be this…horrendous. It never occurred to me to ask the twins whether the materials were tested, or not. I'm guessing they weren't. The most you were supposed to see were the tap-dancers, and Irish-jiggers," she breathed. Amazed at her ability to say all of that in one breath, Snape shook his head.

"Miss Granger," he stated clearly, "If I had only seen the tap-dancers and Irish-jiggers, I would have been perfectly fine. Next time, don't forget to inquire as to whether it is tested. Now, what in the world is a Yoda?"

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**A/N: **One word:Review. It makes me all warm and fuzzy on the inside to see a review. I'll love you forever if you do ;).


	5. The Ginny Incident

**A/N: **You reviewers are great! You are my muse! Keep up the good reviewing!

**Disclaimer: **

Roundabout: _Ugh. GO AWAY SEVERUS! OR AT LEAST STOP ARGUING!_

Severus: _Whatever. I still think I own myself._

JK: _That is what you are _supposed_ to think. You're just a figment of my imagination._

Severus: _-grumbles-_

Roundabout: _-looks smug-_

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Hermione was too busy staring at Snape incredulously when he asked her what a "Yoda" was to hear the rest of his spiel, so she assumed that he would repeat himself when she didn't answer anything but the Yoda question. "Yoda's this little green dude who has a high midi-chlorian count: the stuff that allows him to use the force. It's way too deep for me to explain, you have to watch the movies," she grinned, her tears drying from her eyes, though her cheeks were still damp.

"And your _nineteenth_ birthday?" he pressed, still looking quite perplexed over this bit of information. Excluding her three best friends, only Dumbledore, McGonagall and select Ministry members knew about her Time Turner escapade in her third year. Snape was one of those who didn't.

"I used a Time Turner in my third year to get to all of my classes-it added two years onto my age," she replied, smiling inwardly at the look on his face. He looked at a loss for words, something she would have never thought to see on his face. It was actually almost adorable to see her Potions…Okay. _Hermione, you're losing it,_ she thought.

"Well, Miss Granger, I think it is possible for me to keep you on as an apprentice, but you will have to serve detention all day tomorrow," he said, and she noted the rather smug look on his face. She could feel the quick flash of apprehension that crossed her face, but quickly shot it down. Snape was a git, a bloody git. _But he's a smexy git,_ the voice in her head commented and she felt a dawning horror in the back of her mind. Whoa. This was too much for her, and she was glad when he said, "You're dismissed. And…50 points from Gryffindor."

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The reason he had used Legilimency was to find out whether or not she was telling the truth, as he wasn't to be bothered with all the legal paperwork to use Veritaserum. Moreover, he felt that she would have objected to it even though she had been speaking truthfully. However, Snape hadn't taken into account that when he looked into her mind, he would see _all _of her current thoughts.

Never ever use Legilimency on students, was what the Headmaster said. Snape, however, never took that warning to heart, and this time he thought he would have had a heart attack if it were not for having faced worse terror. Part of Granger thought he was…thought he was…he couldn't even think it. "She thinks I'm _what_?" he asked himself, and his mind supplied the answer. A smexy git, whatever that was. He sighed, wondering why there was mass confusion and horror in her mind after she thought that. Surely, she didn't think him that bad…and then he realized. It wasn't that she thought him bad, it was that she was horrified at _herself_ for having unknown feelings for him.

"Oh my God," he whispered, and he was amazed to find that he was confused as to the reason his palms were sweaty. He was amazed to find that his palms were sweaty-period.

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_That night…_

"Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed as the redhead stepped into her quarters. She observed that her friend's green eyes flicked behind her, to where Blaise was just walking into his bedroom. "I'm SO happy to see you. I've got a rather large, and dark, problem…" Her voice trailed off, and she shuddered at the thought she had had earlier. Knowing that Ginny would find out eventually, she had previously resolved to tell her best girl friend what exactly she had thought about Snape. She knew that the younger girl would know better than anyone to keep quiet about it, with the escapade she had had when she first came to Hogwarts…and then all the other adventures the 'Golden Trio' had dragged her into.

"What is it?" the other girl asked, "And what happened with Snape?" Hermione could tell that now she had gotten herself into it, she wouldn't be able to get out of it. Ginny would want to know everything, sometimes being as inquisitive as Skysong, the young dragon in her favorite fiction books-The Immortals.

"Well, part of me thinks…part of me thinks…oh never mind, I'll get to it later," Hermione said slowly, sighing after the last word, "Snape didn't yell much. He wanted an explanation, and you know what? I just have detention tomorrow. All day…with a totally evil but still ho…Oh odd's bobs, I'm doing it again." And tomorrow was a Saturday, quite wonderful. Her first Saturday back at Hogwarts would be spent sweltering in the dungeons with Snape, most likely writing lines.

"Still what, 'Mione?" Ginny inquired, overwhelming curiosity etched into her features.

"Still ho...hot…ugh, I really DO NOT want to think that," Hermione exclaimed as loud as possible without alerting Blaise to her _issue_. Or problem, whatever one wants to call it.

"Oh…my…God…Hermione…this…is not…good," her friend said, horror replacing the curiosity on her face and in her voice.

"I don't think I can ever face him again…What if he knows?"

"Hermione, you're fretting."

"But he's a _LEGILIMENS!"_

Unfortunately for Hermione, she was too loud with that last word, and Blaise Zambini strode out of his room. "What's going on?"

"'Mione's got a crush on Snape and she's borriedatenose," Ginny said, her last few words coming out muffled because Hermione had covered her mouth. "Cabu'et'o?" And here Hermione thought she could trust her with her little secret.

"She's got _what _on _whom_?" the Italian asked, skeptical and traumatized, and then shook his head, "Never mind. I don't want to remember hearing that. Hermione…eww. You could have done better in your choice."

"What do you mean?" Hermione pushed, still keeping her hand over Ginny's mouth, not realizing that the inquiry she just stated would end up in causing her friend a world of pain. If she had, she would not have said it. Granted, she was angry at Ginny, but she wasn't a revenge seeker…at least against friends. Malfoy was an _entirely_ different matter.

"Well…well…there's _me_ for example…" he stammered, unnoticing of the tears welling up in Ginny's green eyes.

"OW!" Ginny had bitten her hand, and then promptly ran from the room. "Bloody idiot," Hermione muttered of Blaise.

"What did I do?"

"You broke her heart," she said promptly, mustering enough courage to tell him outright what her friend thought of him. Ginny would kill her later, but he needed to see the error of his ways. Boys weren't supposed to tell a girl-however subtly they did it-that they are interested in said girl in front of said girl's female friends. It wasn't propriety.

"How?" the insufferable idiot asked, obviously confused.

"She's liked you since her third year here, you great buffoon, and then you had the nerve to suggest that you even would think about me in _that_ way!" she spat, her features contorting in fury at this dense boy. "You are completely tactless!"

"I didn't know!" he exclaimed, looking quite surprised.

"Well, now you do," she ended, striding over to her bedroom and stepping in. Hermione slammed the door shut and threw herself onto her bed, just to think about events, and certain dark-eyed and dark-haired Potions Masters—and how to deal with her detention tomorrow. She could tell that it was going to be horrible. Detention with Snape…Harry had come back with so many terrifying stories of the countless times he spent doing detention with the Potions Master over the years.

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It was after hours, and Professor Severus Snape was patrolling the corridors when a running girl collided with him and fell in a heap at his feet. A closer look told him that this was the young Weasley girl, who he knew to be one of Granger's best friends. Proffering his hand, he scowled. "Miss Weasley, why are you out past curfew?" He noted that she was crying, and wondered why even though he truly didn't care. Truly.

Taking his hand, she stammered through sobs, "I w-was g-goin' to s-s-stay with 'M-mione, b-b-but Blaise…l-likes h-her m-more t-than m-me." Then it seemed as if she noticed who she was talking to, and under her tears her face blanched and her freckles showed prominent. Her features were defiant, and upset. Defiant of his authority, and apparently upset over the Blaise issue. He assumed that she liked the Zambini boy. To his own surprise, he almost pitied her, but not quite.

"Don't ever do it again," he commented strictly, and as an example he added, "Ten points from Gryffindor." As she ran down the hall, he briefly entertained a disturbing thought: _What did Granger say to that? Does she like Blaise back? Or did she defend Weasley?_ Shaking his head free of all thoughts including the young girl, he continued on his nightly prowl. No…wait. He corrected himself. He shook all thoughts including the young _woman_, out of his mind. A faint reminder of the thoughts she had about him earlier drifted through his mind, and he pushed that out as well, sighing. He needed a large glass of fire whiskey and a good night's sleep to keep that girl…no, woman…out of his mind.

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**A/N **I know it's been forever! Don't kill me, please! My brother's b-day party was yesterday and we paintballed, so I didn't have time to edit and post. –sigh- I feel sorry for Ginny. Almost.


	6. Detention, or the Beginnings of

**A/N **I'm alive. My computer is alive. My muse is somewhat alive. And my story is, too. Thanks a bunch to those who reviewed.

**Disclaimer** I own nothing except the plot.

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The clouds of sleep cleared from her mind when the first rays of sunlight pierced the room, causing dancing colors to fall across her bed. The curtains she had up were tie-died to create a semblance of a lion. When the sun shone through the colors died the light in rainbow hues.

Hermione had been awake for a quarter hour before that, but without the sunlight invading the darkness of her room, she'd kept her eyes close and laid still. She was delaying the inevitable detention with Snape. Before she fell asleep last night, a black owl had sat perched on her window. The Potions Master wanted her down to the dungeons as soon as she woke up.

So she rolled out of bed, quite literally, landing on the floor in a sprawled heap of human and bedclothes. She had showered the night before, and laid out the clothes she wanted to wear. Fatigue was clouding her mind by that time, and she didn't realize what she had chosen. A short dark green skirt, and a sky blue spaghetti strap tank. A silver hair band would keep her bushy hair out of her face while she worked. Groaning inwardly at her choice of Slytherin colors, she dressed.

It was dreadful of Snape, to give her detention on her first Saturday back at Hogwarts. Dreadful, indeed, of him to give her detention in the first place. Of course, she was the one who was pranking him with hallucinations up until lunch the previous day. That was all in fun, 'til she realized that the prank hadn't been tested. Fred and George were dead meat.

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Where in God's name was that girl? Snape was pacing his office, waiting for the wench to show up. She was late. He had specifically told her to report as soon as she woke up. It was almost nine o' clock. She should have been up by now! He was fretting.

He didn't know why he was fretting, and he was about to pick apart his trains of thought when she burst in. Obsidian eyes observed her outfit, and the corners of his mouth pulled up in an amused smirk. "Trying to impress someone, Miss Granger?"

"No sir," she said quietly, self-consciously, "I wasn't thinking straight when I chose my clothes last night." A precise explanation, he mused, remembering Miss Weasley's tearful confession last night when he had acted kind towards her. He almost flinched.

Something had changed in him, he noticed. Since the events subsequent to the Opening Feast. The encounter he had with Lupin and Hermione had left him chilled. His heart had missed a beat that night, and he still didn't know why. Fear was the only explanation, but he had been cool and collected, just as always.

Now that he had the young woman in front of him, something was being made clear. Not comprehensive, but there was something tugging on the back of his mind as he pointed to his storeroom. "I need you to re-label all of the ingredients and potions," he said coolly, "After you are finished, I will have something else for you. Namely, breakfast."

"Yes sir," she said in resignation. This was going to be a long day for the both of them. Especially with these new thoughts of his, and the ones he knew she was thinking.

Smexy git, he thought. A smile broke his composure when she turned to walk into the storeroom. This year would be an interesting one, he suspected. Going back to his desk, he realized that the something he had been trying to figure out was disconcerting. He didn't want to think about it.

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Meanwhile, Ginny was talking to Harry and Ron, soothing their nerves. They, too, were fretting over Hermione. They hadn't seen her since yesterday's Snape incident.

"GINNY! Have you seen Hermione?" Ron yelled from across the hall, and she could feel her blush travel from her chin to her forehead. Her ears turned hot when she noticed that Blaise was observing her, as well. Great.

When she sat down next to Ron and Harry, they gazed at her expectantly. "Yes, last night, I did. She's got an all day detention with Snape." The poor girl, she thought to herself when Ron and Harry's eyes widened with horror.

"I'm going to murder Seamus," Ron mumbled, and Ginny felt a pain of sympathy towards her favorite brother. She knew he liked, maybe even loved, Hermione, and she knew with whom Hermione's affections currently lay. It was a disgusting thing, but even Ginny had almost thrown herself at a teacher before. Lockhart. With his Love Potions, all girls in Hogwarts had fallen head over heels in lust with the blonde, incompetent DADA professor. Ginny knew that some of them had gone a little farther than they would have wanted under normal circumstances. Percy's girlfriend, Penelope, was one of those that had. And Percy had found out. However, the two were still together. At least, to the extent of Ginny's knowledge, they were. That particular Weasley was still disowned from the family, until farther notice.

"So am I," Harry muttered. At that moment, Blaise tapped her on the shoulder.

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**A/N** I know it's short. But my computer's been dead all week and I wanted to let you guys know that I'm alive still. And working on this story.

I'll update again soon.

Review, please!


	7. Breakfast Interruptions

**A/N:** Sorry for the delay. Stupid finals, stupid summer drama. I promise that my next update won't take so long. I admit that I had writer's block for an extended period of time. –sighdies-

**Disclaimer**: If you think I own any of these characters, you are seriously disoriented. I own nothing but the plot and a single bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

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Hermione closed the door of the storeroom behind her, and groaned melodramatically. A stack of new labels lay to the side, but that wasn't what was concerning her. Breakfast? With _Snape_! Holy cow, she didn't deserve this. No one did. This was highly _not_ amusing for her! It was almost like a…a…a **date**! Oh God, that thought was unnerving. Now she pictured herself on a date with Snape, and what made her even more weirded out was the fact that butterflies started fluttering somewhere near her midriff. This was just great, fantastic, and outstanding. Of course, that was all sarcasm. Her luck never ran out, _did it_? Nope. Always as lucky as she could be, Miss Hermione Granger.

Of course, she could always look at this as a learning opportunity, even if it meant spending time with the loathsome Professor Snape. Maybe she could understand him…but whom was she kidding? That was an impossible feat to accomplish over a short breakfast, and she doubted it'd be possible after five years of breakfasts. That particular teacher guarded himself so well that it wasn't particularly funny, at least to the bushy-haired girl that was going to attempt to disentangle the mysterious enigma of said teacher.

She sighed, and sat down to start writing the names of the particular potions on the labels, along with the names of many ingredients that were only in Snape's private storeroom. This was going to be a long task, and he had most definitely designed it so that it would take her half the morning. Thankfully (or unfortunately), she only had half an hour before she broke for her morning meal, and she couldn't wait for the delicious taste of pumpkin juice. The dungeons depressed one's mood seriously.

Unfortunately, many different exploding potions and ingredients disheveled her as she tried to figure out exactly which potion/ingredient was which. This caused her to be extremely angry and grumpy, so when Snape finally entered to retrieve her, he smirked in an amused sort of fashion.

"Miss Granger, breakfast is served."

Oh great. She was practically on a date with her Potions master, during her detention, during…oh well. Never mind. The point was, did he expect her to eat when her hair was basically a bush and she had interesting stains all over her blue shirt, and never mind that her hair band was frayed beyond recognition? Oh wait. This was Snape, and no matter that she had a teeny-eensy-weensy crush on him, because he didn't know, and if he knew…the possibilities were endless, and none of the scenarios were particularly good or even painless. No matter what she felt towards him, he was still going to be the same snarky-dungeon-bat that everyone else, with the exception of possibility of some of the professors, hated.

"Miss Granger, if you please," his voice was closer than before, and a bit more aggravated. She pushed the chair away from the table abruptly, and whirled around, her face clouded with anger at the task. Never before had she had detention, and it was horrible. A worst nightmare, if you asked her. _But at least I get to spend some of it with Severus Snape._ _Ahhh! Bad thoughts, bad thoughts, horrible thoughts! Mind needs to be cleaned!_

"Coming Professor, sir." She missed the confused look he cast her way, for he had quickly covered it up with a sneer.

"I can see that," he snapped at her, and he felt remorse and regret when she flinched back slightly. He hadn't mean to scare her, just defend the fact that he indeed had eyes. "Through that door right there." His words were brief, abrupt, as if he shouldn't be sharing them with her. That was the secret passage to his private chambers. And for the second time, he would be allowing a student to enter. He watched her every move as she cautiously moved towards the door and grasped it in her small hands. She could feel his scrutiny and it made her slightly uncomfortable, regardless of her…feelings…for him.

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Severus followed closely behind her, the two of them climbing the flight of stairs to the door at the end of the dark corridor. The climbing was treacherous, the house elves had been neglecting their duties for years and not only could he barely see two feet in front of his nose, but he had to be careful not to slip on the accumulation of slime. He was used to these stairs, so the slime-less spots were careworn by his booted feet. The steady clunk of his footsteps was prevalent above the unsteady sound of the young woman's. However, the fact that he had adjusted to the slime and could walk up these stairs with confidence was not going make it fact that Hermione was the same.

A sharp screech echoed throughout the corridor, hurting his ears, as she slipped, and fell backwards into him. He considered stepping to the side and claiming ignorance, but dratted Dumbledore would know if she turned up in the Hospital Wing with a concussion and a couple broken bones. So, he caught her, and held her, awkwardly, with his arms wrapped around her waist, as he turned quickly to rest his back against the wall to halt their motion. If both of them tumbled down the stairs, even though they weren't as steep as the others around the castle, there would be serious inquiries and even more serious injuries. He released her, and opened his mouth to scrutinize her, when she spoke.

"Thank you, Professor," was all she said, but as she turned to face him, the gratitude in her features, along with an uncertainty in her eyes, stalled him. She smiled, slightly, and it was enough to make him speak.

"Just be careful the next time," he said gruffly. "Continue." He smirked as the gratitude was wiped off of her face and replaced with frustration and anxiety. Ah, the things he could do to this girl with mere words and feigned indifference. She stormed up the five remaining stairs, and then realization dawned.

"Gosh darned it! I'm a witch! I could've lighted the way!" she pouted, waiting for him to open the door.

"And you call yourself smart," he jested, surprised at himself. She glared at him, a hurt look on her face until she realized that he was half-smiling. The corner of his mouth had twitched slightly upward. She chuckled, and Severus delighted in that sound.

"Professor, I do believe you actually have a sense of humor," she said, smiling slightly as he opened the door.

His own smile slipped off his face, and he said, "Don't expect it often."

She nodded, and entered.

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She stared, open-mouthed at the breakfast that lay displayed on the table. Pancakes, waffles, grits, biscuits, bacon, sausage. But no pumpkin juice. Only milk, to her disappointment. "Have a seat, and close your mouth. You look like a fish." Hermione sent a glare at him, but sat down anyway. And she closed her mouth. He sat down across from her, and just about as he was about to take his first bite, she spoke.

"Professor, I don't eat unless I pray first."

"Then pray," he said, trying to keep the irritated tone out of his voice.

"But, you have to pray with me."

"Fine." He folded his hands, and bowed his head.

"God, thank you for this day, this food, this detention, even though it's absolutely horrible. Please help Professor Snape to be kind to his students and let his somewhat awry sense of humor show more often. Also, I pray that he won't kill me in anger for what I'm planning to do-"

"WHAT?" he bellowed, and then more calmly, and in a level tone, said, "What are you planning to do that will make me want to kill you?"

"Nothing much," she replied.

"Fine. Lie. But eat. And no more prayers."

She picked up her fork, and stabbed a sausage, and frowned. "Professor, is this a vegan sausage?" she said, smirking inwardly.

"No, why?" he asked, a sneer on his face, and his voice on the level of a low growl that Hermione couldn't help but think was sexy. However, she forced a hurt and sorrowful look onto her face, and carefully pulled her wand out to perform a silent spell so she would tear up.

"I-i can't believe you would have a poor, helpless animal killed so that you could…what?" she said, cutting herself off as he grabbed the fork and sausage from her hand.

"Granger. Do not tell me you are a vegetarian. I know that to be a lie, because I have seen you eat meat before, and I know that this isn't a new development. Now eat!" he said, his voice even lower, bordering on the edge of feral.

She was about to be brave, and briefly she remembered the feel of his arms around her waste after she had fallen down the stairs. That thought, that single thought, spurred her on. "Has anybody ever told you that it's extremely sexy when you talk like that?"

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He was astounded, completely astounded at what she had said. His mouth worked silently, and then fury took over. He glared at her, and she flinched. This time, there was no remorse, regret, or guilt. "Granger, that was out of line."

"But so true," she appeared to be clinging to her statement, no matter what. This made him even more furious.

"GET OUT!" he bellowed, for the second time that breakfast. "WE WILL CONTINUE YOUR DETENTION NEXT WEEKEND!" He was surprised at how disappointed he felt as she fled the room, in tears. Not disappointed in her, but in himself. And the fact that she was leaving.

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**A/N:** Aha! At long last!


	8. Apologies

**A/N: **Thank you to my loyal reviewers, and my new reviewers! Reviews make me happy! Extraordinarily happy! I appreciate them…a lot! They give me new muse.

**Disclaimer:** I so don't own Severus, Hermione, Harry, Remus, or any of the other characters. Nor the setting. The plot, however, is my own.

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Hermione didn't know what she should do. Her spree of bravery was over, and she now dreaded flirting with Snape. Ginny was going to freak. Oh, wait. Ginny might not be talking with her anymore, after what had happened the night before. With Blaise. She was still running as she hit the Entrance Hall and almost collided with Remus Lupin. She stammered an apology and took off, pushing open the doors to the grounds. She ran towards the Whomping Willow. Only the Shrieking Shack would be able to offer any quiet, and not many people would think to look there. She threw a rock at the knot that temporarily immobilized the tree, and slid down the miniature slide leading into the passageway. Pulling herself up and brushing her clothes off, she climbed through the tunnel to the shack, where she sat on a half-eaten chair.

Tears, this time un-spelled and unbidden, trickled down her cheeks. How could she be so stupid? This wasn't normal for her, to be so daring as to say that to him. Yes, she may be in Gryffindor, but it was a rare occurrence when her bravery boiled forth behind her carefully constructed barrier. And that was usually when Harry and Ron needed her, not when she wanted to flirt with…with…boys! It was, as Snape said, out of line and uncalled for. Why had she done it then? Surely she didn't like him that much!

It was unfair, really. How did he know that she did or didn't mean it? How did he know what she was thinking? He didn't know, he shouldn't know. He was definitely overreacting! She still couldn't believe it, though, that she had actually said that. It wasn't like her. And she knew that. Now. Why in the world was she obsessing over it like that? That wasn't like her either, and she usually didn't let the things Snape said get to her. It was more of a Harry and Ron thing to do that. Then again, before she _had_ hated him. Now…it was different. Oh, she still liked to entertain the fact that she hated him, but it still was a different kind of hate. She had always respected and admired him, beneath that hate, but her hate had slowly started to dissolve, she supposed, since he had saved her life at the beginning of the school year, less than half a week ago.

She was broken from her reverie when another person entered the shack. Hermione startled, but then managed half a smile when she noticed that the intruder was Professor Lupin. Speak of the devil! She had just been thinking about him, in a way, if you are a skimmer and just look for the conversation. "Hello," she croaked, her tears slowly coming to a stop.

"I just wanted to apologize for attacking you that night," he said, "They blamed Snape for it, and Dumbledore was able to convince them to let him keep his job because of his status as spy." She supposed that 'they' referred to the school's governors, instead of the teachers. The teachers and parents really had no say in the way the school was run. In the end, it all went down to the twelve governors.

She nodded, and said, "I understand, Professor. It's entirely alright."

"What did Snape do to you?" he asked, looking concerned. "You came up from the dungeons pretty fast there."

She stared, agape, and whispered, "Nothing," even though he really had done something.

"Hermione." The tone of voice he used was enough that she was sure that he would get it out of her eventually, so she might as well get it over with now. Oh God, was she really going to tell her favorite Professor what she did to Severus Snape?

Yes, apparently she was going to. "Fine. He yelled at me, because I was pretending to be a vegetarian to get on his nerves and he had done that growl thing and I told him that itwassexy…" she said, saying the last few words fast enough for Remus to pause before looking at her oddly. She attempted to process whether this was a look of extreme anger or extreme amusement or extreme horror. It was hard to tell with him, sometimes he approved of things, and sometimes he disapproved.

"You told Snape…that his…growl-sounding voice…is sexy?" Remus managed, trying not to laugh at her. It was funny, really. A student had finally flirted with the notorious Professor Snape. "Hermione, you are mental! Of course he yelled at you! Severus is not one to welcome that sort of thing! You should probably apologize!"

"Some help you are!" she muttered, and turned away before saying, "Please, please, don't tell anybody!"

"Don't worry, I won't," he said, still trying not to laugh, and then, "Hermione, if anybody else catches you up here, you might very well have to do more detention." She shuddered, and stood up, preparing to leave.

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Meanwhile, Severus was in his office writing a letter to somebody. A troubled expression was in his eyes, and he knew why. He was afraid that the Granger girl hadn't meant what she said, that it had been a dare. That's why he had thrown her out. Because he was afraid, afraid that she had only flirted with him because the Weaselette had told her to. There was no way that a talented witch like herself would flirt with him of her own accord; it just wouldn't make sense. He frowned, and pushed that thought out of her head. The Weaselette was made at the Granger girl, because of some petty boy thing. Something that had to do with Blaise Zambini. That one wasn't going to tell him anything, though.

He sighed, and signed the letter, sealed it, and started the trek upwards to the Owlery, and thought to himself that he really needed his own owl. When he reached the Entrance Hall, he was startled to see that the Granger girl was speaking to the werewolf, and that they were laughing about something. He felt a stab of jealousy, and continued on his way.

"Professor!" Great. That was her voice. He turned again, and raised an eyebrow. In the three steps he had taken after seeing her with Lupin, the pair had parted ways and Granger had caught up with him. He didn't know whether to be dismayed or overjoyed. He chose indifference.

"Yes, Miss Granger?" he asked, a smirk on his features as he surveyed her. She had been crying, he noticed. He had made her cry. Had she really meant what she said?

"I j-just wanted to apologize, sir. That was uncalled for," she said, looking up at him with unwavering determination…and sincerity.

"Hermione!" another voice came in, and he assumed it to be one of her three best friends. He held up a hand, and looked over. The Weaselette.

"Come by my office tonight at eight for another detention for questionable statements, Miss Granger. You still have one to finish, but that will be next week," he turned and stormed off towards the staircase, letter in hand.

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She had been certain that if Ginny hadn't interrupted, he would have said something else. But she had another detention! Oh great. Another extended period of time with Professor Severus Snape. It was exactly what she wanted, really, but she still wasn't sure of herself around him.

"Yes, Ginny?" she said, realizing that it mirrored almost the same words that Professor Snape had said to her just seconds before, even the slightly annoyed tone of voice. Ginny, however, didn't catch that nuance, and she smiled brightly.

"Guess what?" the younger girl asked enthusiastically, seeming to jump with happy, excited energy even though she wasn't really moving. Hermione lifted one of her eyebrows and Ginny did a victory dance. "Blaise Zambini just asked me out!" Hermione laughed. She had known he would, surely she should have told her younger friend. But no, she hadn't had time.

"I know."

"You know everything! It's not fair! So why are you out of your detention already?" Ginny asked, curious about the reason Hermione was out of the dungeons so early. She was supposed to be under Snape's close watch until later that evening; breakfast had barely passed. Hermione flinched, and Ginny became rather…mischievous…in appearance. "Why Hermione! What did you do? Or…what did he do?"

"I flirted with him. I told him his voice sounded…" she paused, and the next word came out as a muffled squeak, "sexy." Ginny squealed in mock horror, and shook her head, and Hermione continued. "He threw me out. I serve today's detention next Saturday, and I have another one tonight at eight."

"I'm sorry about last night, though, 'Mione. It's my fault…I over-reacted," Ginny said, and continued, "Wonder what he wants to do tonight!"

"GINNY!" screamed Hermione, at the very lewd look Ginny had given her, coupled with the waggling of the eyebrows. That girl was a wild child, and Hermione was certain that Ron went to great lengths to keep her under control. As if that was possible.

"Sorry. I have ears you know," Ginny muttered. "We need to plan what you're going to wear!"

"Ginny. It's a detention. Not a date." Sometimes Hermione wasn't sure about her friend, but it was fun sometimes. Like, not when she was viewing detention as a chance to impress a professor, as Hermione was sure that Ginny was, in fact, doing.

"But you can still impress him!"

"Why are we having this argument in the Entrance Hall? Anybody can hear! Even _him_!"

"Sorry." Man, there was a lot of apologies in Hermione's life that morning.

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**A/N:** Yeah, it's not very good, but I wasn't entirely sure how to continue. I felt that Lupin would apologize for the Great Hall thing, though, and that he would help Hermione with her predicament. Even though he really didn't.


	9. And She Said, Kiss Me

**A/N:** AHG! I feel so awful! It's been forever since I've updated! And I mean that literally! –crawls into a hole and dies-

**Disclaimer:** nope. Not mine.

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Hermione took her usual seat in between Harry and Ron that evening at dinner, rather dreading what was going to happen in detention with Snape immediately preceding. They smiled at her, and she managed a convincing grin as she waited for one of them to ask why she wasn't in detention with Snape, like she should have been. Ron opened his mouth to speak, and food spilled out.

"Honestly, Ronald. You would think you'd have better manners than that," she scoffed, looking at the half-chewed food that now sprinkled the table with disgust. "It's terribly vile." Harry chuckled, and the redhead finished chewing.

"I was about to ask why you weren't at detention with the dungeon bat," Ron commented, looking slightly offended at her calling his actions 'vile', but even he knew they rather were.

"Oh. I offended him, that's all. I have another detention following dinner tonight, and I'm going to serve today's next Saturday," she calmly explained, before taking a bite of a biscuit and pretended to scrutinize the patterned tablecloth as if she'd never seen it before.

Harry noticed this, and he asked, "Hermione…what did you do to offend him enough to throw you out of detention?" Crud. She hoped that he wouldn't ask that. Alas, he did.

She continued to look down, and muttered, "Nothing." A blush was creeping up her cheeks that she didn't want them to see. If they saw it, it would lead to more questions about her very strange behaviour. As it was, Hermione knew that Harry wouldn't leave it at that: she'd get more questions from him later. Thankfully, Ron was a bit different and was engrossed in his food…again.

And also thankfully, her and Harry's conversation was interrupted by the appearance of Ginny Weasley. Hermione had never been happier to see her, and the state she was in would lead to more questions. Her robes were disheveled, her eyes bright, and her lips bruised. Harry was in shock, and Ron soon would be too. It would give Hermione enough time to slip away herself. "Ginny, what on earth have you been up to?" Hermione asked in a chiding voice.

Ginny simply sat down, turned red, and murmured, "Nothing." And as her 'nothing' sounded very much like Hermione's 'nothing,' not one of the Trio was convinced. She looked at Hermione pleadingly, and Hermione smiled.

"Well, I'd better be getting to detention. I'll see you three later," she said, getting up and taking another biscuit. Her friend shot her a stricken look, and she knew that Ginny, one way or another, would get payback. Great. As if it wasn't enough that Ginny knew about her little…crush…on the Potions Master, she also knew exactly _not_ to tell. And if their berating was bad, and judging by the evil-ish looks on their faces, it would be, Ginny would forget about who not to tell. Harry and Ron, subsequently, would know what she did to offend Snape. And that, most definitely, was a bad thing.

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Severus Snape was pacing his office, waiting for the insufferable young woman to come to detention. She most definitely had a bad habit of being late, he noted. The girl was supposed to report at eight, and it was now five minutes past. Normally, this would have been a punishable action, but as he had overheard Granger and Weasley's conversation in the Entrance Hall- the shriek of 'GINNY' had peaked his interest on that subject- he was thankful for it.

She had meant it, what she said. At least that's what it had sounded like when she told her younger friend about it. He chuckled slightly; the Weaselette had immediately started acting like it was a date, this detention. Ginny Weasley definitely needed a bit more control, but he wasn't in a position to giver her that. He faintly wondered if she had told Hermione about the previous, but dismissed it. It was unlikely, highly unlikely.

He heard footsteps coming down the dungeon corridor, and he stopped mid-pace and smirked. More than likely, it was Miss Granger on her way to detention. Contemplating if she had changed or not from earlier, he moved to sit at his desk until she knocked.

She didn't knock. He had forgotten that his door was open. _Damn._ Instead of knocking, she rapped her knuckles lightly on the frame before waltzing on in. He turned in his chair: "Miss Granger. You're late." Then he saw what she was wearing and had to stop his eyes from wandering off her face.

The infuriating woman had changed. This detention around, she was wearing a black skirt, one even shorter than the green one she had worn earlier, her shirt was a tiny emerald tee, and her hair was down. He was sure that this time she meant to…"Trying to tempt me, Miss Granger?" he asked with an amused smirk on his face.

"Ginny," she explained, trying to mask a grimace, "decided to make me wear something fancy. Apparently, a detention on a Saturday evening accounts for a date in her book." She shook her head disdainfully, and he noticed that her hair wasn't as bushy as it usually was. Yes, she was trying to tempt him.

"Granger, you never did answer my question," he intoned, and when she looked at him strangely, he continued, "Are you, or are you not, trying to tempt me?" She blushed, her cheeks turning a nice rosy color, and she looked down.

"Maybe ," she said, and the way she said it made him think that it was a 'yes'. For one, she had looked at him quite provocatively, and for two, he wasn't quite sure 'maybe' was pronounced, 'mayvee.' He glared at her, and she flinched. His gaze softened a bit, and she looked up in time to see him stand up, almost knocking his chair over and take two strides over to the door.

He shut it.

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She gulped as he turned back around to face her and she felt a strange shiver run down her back when he placed his hand on her shoulder. Hermione turned to face him. He was close. So very close. She looked up at him and squeaked a bit. His arms were around her, and his obsidian eyes held a very strange emotion. He said two words: "Insufferable witch."

She smiled, stood on tiptoe, and leaned into him. "And?" she asked, obviously not caring that he had called her that. The corner of his mouth twitched, and she smirked. "You smiled."

"I most certainly did not," he said in defense of himself and she chortled. She knew he had smiled, even though he refused absolutely to admit it. The corner of his mouth twitched again.

"Yes you did. And you just did it again," she laughed, "Whoever would have guessed, Severus Snape, Lord of the Dungeons to _smile_."

"I don't think I—"Hermione Granger cut him off by kissing him lightly on the lips. It was a quick, chaste kiss, and nothing more- but it effectively shut him up.

He looked at her, eyes wide. Then something clicked, somewhere in that dark mind of his, and they narrowed ever so slightly. A flame went on in his obsidian eyes, and before she knew it, he had locked the door to his office and had her up against the wall. Then he hesitated. And she said, "Kiss me." He complied.

Hermione smirked to herself. This had to be the greatest detention ever- his cool hands on her thighs, supporting her weight as she wrapped her legs around him, his mouth ravishing hers. It was more passionate than any kiss she'd ever shared with another guy.


	10. Author's Note

To those of you still checking back on Flair for Trouble, I regrettably must abandon it. I suggest (highly) that you go read and review Trouble, which although appears similar, is entirely different. I apologize for keeping everyone waiting over two years while I wrestled my life into order. Thank you – roundabout.


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